NBA NOTES.

Magic Could Make His Point By Directing Pacers

May 12, 1996|By Sam Smith.

Break up the Pacers!

That was the feeling the last two years as Indiana seemed on the verge of breaking through with two seventh-game losses in the Eastern Conference finals.

Now, with a first-round playoff loss--with the injured Reggie Miller out until Game 5 against Atlanta--and Miller, Dale Davis and Antonio Davis free agents, the question is whether the Pacers will be broken up.

"I don't go along with that," said Pacers President Donnie Walsh. "These guys have given us three great years, and I'm not a big believer in the notion you have to go all the way down to come back up again. It took us a long time to get to where we are now."

So it may be time for a little magic.

Actually big Magic.

Except for a lack of media, Indianapolis may be the perfect place for Magic Johnson, who is a free agent and struggled to adjust to the Lakers' youth movement.

"We could never get on the same page," said Johnson, whose Lakers were eliminated in four games by the Houston Rockets. "I was spending most of my energy fighting battles within my own team. We don't trust each other. I was just zapped trying to keep this team together. I've been lost for words."

The Lakers' priority reportedly remains trying to attract Shaquille O'Neal. But they say they're committed to their young players, like Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones.

Johnson, going on 37, is a short-term player. He needs to be with a veteran team that is close to winning, not one trying to build and win with young players, like the Lakers or Miami Heat.

And he wants to play point guard.

The Pacers are a perfect fit, a team of veterans who need another scorer and some direction, a team close, but not good enough.

Walsh could not talk about Johnson in relation to the Pacers for fear of tampering, but he did say, "The guy can create, which is something we need, and when he goes in the game, it is easier to win the game.

"But our priority is to sign our own players. If we cannot do that, we'll be a major player in the free-agent market."

With perhaps a different type of team. Coach Larry Brown, who says he's staying with the Pacers, wants to play differently.

"We have to change our style of play," said Brown. "I still believe we have to get more athletic and be more defensive, running the pressuring kind of team."

Bright future: So how good is Kentucky's Antoine Walker, from Mt. Carmel High School?

But Walker's questionable shooting has him listed closer to No. 10 on some lists.

"We've got him rated somewhere 11 through 15," said Walsh. "But we may be wrong. It's way too early. He passes, puts the ball on the floor and posts up. You could see when the game got serious (Rick) Pitino went through him. He knew he was his best player."

Coaching carousel: The Spurs, even though they're in the Western Conference semifinals, gave assistant coach Dave Cowens permission to interview for the Charlotte job.

Said Spurs coach Bob Hill: "Absolutely, I encourage him. I'm not surprised people are talking to him. If any assistants have opportunities like those, they should pursue them."

The Hornets' list is said to include Seattle coach George Karl, former Toronto coach Brendan Malone and Bulls assistant Jim Cleamons. Only Cowens has interviewed so far.

The Mavericks are eager to hire a new coach and reportedly have put together a list of five candidates: Kentucky's Pitino, Cleamons, former Suns coach Paul Westphal, Mavericks assistant Brad Davis and the Pacers' Brown.

Davis is a darkhorse, Pitino and Brown are said not to be interested and with Cleamons unavailable until the Bulls are done, Westphal is said to be the early favorite.

Brown has three years left on a new deal he signed with the Pacers, and says only an ownership position would get him out of Indiana.

Said Walsh: "Larry said to me, `As long as I'm coaching (in the NBA), I want to coach here. But if anyone ever talked about ownership and the ability to coach a team, then I would come and talk to you about it.' "

Pouty in Portland: The talk is that Portland's strong finish--other than a record loss in Game 5 of a first-round playoff series against Utah--will not save P.J. Carlesimo's job. And even that doesn't change Rod Strickland's thinking about his future.

"I'm pretty much out of here," said Strickland, who has two years left on a six-year, $12 million deal. "I've stayed consistent with that since I came back (from going AWOL after the trading deadline), even with how well I've done. No question about it. I think it's just time for a change. I guess I have one foot out the door and one foot on a banana peel."